.... Festus Mogae with Doctorate Degree

The Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur has stated that Africa needs to learn from its past, unlearn bad examples, keeping the good ones so we make rapid process and catch up with the rest of the world.

He made this statement when on Friday 11th April at a special congregation at the University for Development Studies (UDS) when it conferred a Doctorate Degree (Phd) on the former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae in Tamale and also awarded postgraduate and undergraduate degrees to students who had successfully passed their course work.

The Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur stated that in the 21st century Africa has overcome many of the challenges, the immediate post-independence period, the legacy of poverty, poor governance, ethnic conflict and coup d’état.

Adding that since the last decade of the 20TH century, many African countries have achieved admirable development milestones: in economic growth and development, in democratic governance and in meritocratic leadership.

“This is why it was exciting when it was announced that U.D.S has invited one of the successful leaders Africa has produced to share his experiences pursuing the path of learning and sharing” he stated.

The Vice President said as a country, we would continue to learn from good achievement and work for the transformation of Africa so that Botswana’s example will not be solitary one on the continent.

He took the opportunity to congratulate the Former President Botswana President Festus Mogae for the award of an Honorary doctorate degree by the University, a further recognition of the esteem in which Africans hold him.

The Vice President said he is immensely grateful to the U.D.S for capturing this distinguished African so he can share his experience through the African Leadership lecture series. He praised the former Botswana President for the role he has played in African leadership with his vast experience and development of team spirit in the development of Africa.

He also lauded the efforts of the University for instituting the African Leadership Lecture Series in 2013 to stimulate discussions on African leadership and governance which is expected to contribute to national and international understanding on the leadership that support and enhances African development.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur congratulated the new grandaunts for success they have achieved and said government will continue to help in the area of educating them since it plays a critical role in shaping the nation.

He advised the new graduates numbering one hundred and forty- one (141) students which consist of Fifty-Eight (58) post-graduates and Eighty-Three (83) medical doctors and surgeons.

He also urged the new Doctors and other health practitioners in the country to work hard and save life’s as pertains in the Hippocratic oath that they have sworn instead of monetizing the profession, Mrs. Fatima Mohammed was adjourned the overall best student in Medicine and Gynecology.

In a citation, the authorities described the former Botswana leader as a distinguished personality and peace promoter for development and a believer of democracy.

On his Part, the Former Botswana President who spent three days lecturing at the university as part of the Africa lecture series 2nd Edition under the Theme: ‘CHALLENGES OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY’, assured the UDS of his continues support to ensure it lived up to expectation and was grateful to them for the honour done him.

Professor Haruna Yakubu, Vice Chancellor of the UDS said the school introduced medicine into its array of programmes some few years ago and passed the first batch of medical doctors fully trained by the university last year.

He said with the support of the government, a number of infrastructures have been done so this time around they had to do everything by themselves as compared to other years. This is the largest batch so far and encouraged private investors to liaise with the school to build more facilities.